What's the most effective fighting style for a real life situation? I'm not really interested in competing. I don't mind if it takes a lot of time and training to learn how to use effectively. What style doesn't? I would prefer something that I could start to rely on at least a little bit pretty fast, though. I just don't want to end up training something that's all show or only works in a controlled environment. I want something that ends most fights quickly but will still allow me to hold my own against someone who really knows how to fight. I'm not looking to go out starting any fights. I've just taken a much more serious interest in self reliance lately.

Boxing + wrestling. You won't be focusing on forms or anything that wouldn't be useful for what you want it to be (finishing someone or getting up and getting away). Fairly easy to learn anywhere... you don't need to seek out a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu school or Krav Manga academy for self defense. Just learn how to strike to finish a fight, and learn to get off the ground to run, or take someone down and finish them.

Atleast that is what I would recomend to someone just wanting to learn self defense.

Yes Krav Maga is a good style to learn that will really help you out in more than a "controlled environment."

Another great style would be Aikido. I think it is really effective in a lot of different situations but I'm pretty sure all the styles (don't qoute me on this) in Aikido don't use punches or kicks, although you could implement them yourself. The downside of Aikido is that it takes a lot of your time to become relatively good at it.

Krav Maga on the other hand is made to help large groups of people learn it fast and efficiently.

There are other good styles out there but I don't feel like writing a book. I'll wait for others to respond.

There's a place near my house that teaches Boxing, Muy Thai and "MMA" whatever that means. The guy said that the MMA is just wrestling with some jiu jitsu but that the school mostly focuses on kickboxing and boxing. Duane Ludwig trains there. There are a couple of other guys that train there as well but I don't remember who they are. I think he said it's $150 a month but there are only a few classes a week.

There's a place near my house that teaches Boxing, Muy Thai and "MMA" whatever that means. The guy said that the MMA is just wrestling with some jiu jitsu but that the school mostly focuses on kickboxing and boxing. Duane Ludwig trains there. There are a couple of other guys that train there as well but I don't remember who they are. I think he said it's $150 a month but there are only a few classes a week.

Click to expand...

That sounds really good to me. Maybe not $150 a month but as far as style and what you will actually learn effectively, that will work very well.

If those guys train there you can bet they spar well, which is important to really prepare yourself for self defense.

I don't see how boxing would offer any defense against a street fight unless the guy squared up with you and let you know you both were going to fight. I've never been in a fight but from what I've heard it seems to me there are some differences between street fights and movie fights.

I agree with the wrestling part which is why I go to open mat at my school for jiu jitsu, to add to my krav. Also its free haha.

I'm not saying boxing won't help because it definitely has its merits. I'm just saying I think during a street fight, if thats what your worried about, you will most likely be caught off gaurd. Bottle to the head, sucker punch, etc.

There's a place near my house that teaches Boxing, Muy Thai and "MMA" whatever that means. The guy said that the MMA is just wrestling with some jiu jitsu but that the school mostly focuses on kickboxing and boxing. Duane Ludwig trains there. There are a couple of other guys that train there as well but I don't remember who they are. I think he said it's $150 a month but there are only a few classes a week.

Click to expand...

this is obviously a competition school. it will be geared towards making you the most effective fighter in whichever ruleset you choose. You will be an excellent fighter, but will not spend much time on any self defense application outside standard MMA technique

I'm gonna second this one, although it'll be damn hard to find a good place for it. It's not a style so much as using whatever works best for you as an individual. You can do JKD without going to any JKD place though. If you want, you can go train in multiple styles and just take what you think works from each. Just remember, there's no rules in a street fight.

What about styles that incorporate guns? I'm not talking about gun kata shit. If someone puts a gun in my face, though, I'd like to have a chance at disarming them and have time to pull out my own. There are a lot of "tactical pistol defense classes" and crap like that but I'd rather find a school that trains that kind of stuff a lot.

What about styles that incorporate guns? I'm not talking about gun kata shit. If someone puts a gun in my face, though, I'd like to have a chance at disarming them and have time to pull out my own. There are a lot of "tactical pistol defense classes" and crap like that but I'd rather find a school that trains that kind of stuff a lot.

Click to expand...

seriously this is a good way to get shot. there is NO style out there that can teach you to safely and effectively disarm someone with a gun, and if they say they can... that's a red flag that should tell you something is not right with that style/school

seriously this is a good way to get shot. there is NO style out there that can teach you to safely and effectively disarm someone with a gun, and if they say they can... that's a red flag that should tell you something is not right with that style/school

Click to expand...

I didn't say safely. I'm not going to try some Bruce Lee shit where I pull the slide off of the gun before they shoot me. I understand that I could easily get shot in the process. If their finger is on the trigger and that gun is pointed at me, though, I consider my life to be in danger every second that I'm in that situation. As far as I'm considered it's just as risky to let them keep pointing the gun at me as it would be to try to stop them. I also realize how hard it is to disarm someone. I don't want to disarm them. I want to give myself that split second window of oppurtunity where I can grab my own gun. I also want to get proficient at granting myself that window and exploiting it in differant situations.

I know a couple kickboxers who've defended themselves in fights. Front kicks to the stomach and thai leg kicks will usually stop/slow down most people off the street, and they're not expected.

As far as defending yourself against someone with a gun, I learned a few things from a marine friend of mine (one of the kickboxers mentioned above) but I would MUCH rather cooperate with the guy if I thought I'd get out safely. There are a lot of thugs who won't shoot when they get what they want, but who knows what they'll do if you try to resist?

I didn't say safely. I'm not going to try some Bruce Lee shit where I pull the slide off of the gun before they shoot me. I understand that I could easily get shot in the process. If their finger is on the trigger and that gun is pointed at me, though, I consider my life to be in danger every second that I'm in that situation. As far as I'm considered it's just as risky to let them keep pointing the gun at me as it would be to try to stop them. I also realize how hard it is to disarm someone. I don't want to disarm them. I want to give myself that split second window of oppurtunity where I can grab my own gun. I also want to get proficient at granting myself that window and exploiting it in differant situations.